Summary

The information presented here is a summary of the law. If there is a discrepancy between the law and this summary, the law prevails. For complete information on fines, general prohibitions, permitted hunting methods and equipment, the requirement to have adequate means to retrieve birds immediately, restrictions on the use of bait, the description of hunting zones, and other restrictions on hunting, please refer to the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 and Migratory Birds Regulations. These, along with other useful information for hunters, can be found on the Government of Canada website, or you may contact:

You are required to possess a valid federal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit with a Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp to hunt migratory birds in Canada. This permit and stamp are valid in all provinces and territories. Most provinces and territories have additional licence requirements for hunting migratory birds and/or to carry firearms. To know what you require, and if there are further restrictions for hunting migratory birds, please verify the applicable regulations for the province/territory where you will be hunting. Note that all required permits and licences must be in your possession while you are hunting.

Consultation process and migratory birds regulatory reports

The hunting provisions of the Migratory Birds Regulations are reviewed by Environment and Climate Change Canada, with input from the provinces and territories, and a range of other interested stakeholders. Environment and Climate Change Canada has developed a consultation process for establishing hunting regulations for migratory birds, and publishes the Migratory Birds Regulatory Report Series that can be found on the Government of Canada website.

Enforcement tool, fine regime, and sentencing provisions

In June 2017, the Environmental Violations Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations came into force and administrative monetary penalties (AMPs) are now available to game officers to enforce designated violations of the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 (MBCA) and its associated regulations. In addition, amendments to the fine regime and sentencing provisions of the MBCA and the regulations necessary to complete the fine regime, the Designation of Regulatory Provisions for the Purposes of Enforcement (Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994) Regulations, came into force on July 12, 2017. The amendments aim to ensure that court-imposed fines more accurately reflect the seriousness of environmental offenses. The new fine regime will be applied by courts following a conviction pursuant to the MBCA or its associated regulations. Under the new fine regime, when a contravention of a designated provision occurs, the offender upon conviction, is subject to minimum and higher maximum fines. For more information on AMPs and the new fine regime, please visit: About the Environmental Enforcement Act.

In the Yukon Territory, non-toxic shot must be used to hunt migratory game birds. Within National Wildlife Areas, the possession of lead shot is prohibited for all hunting, including the hunting of migratory birds and upland game birds.

Yukon hunting zones

Map of Yukon hunting zones

Long description

Map of the 3 Hunting Zones in the Yukon Territory which are Northern Yukon Territory, Central Yukon Territory and Southern Yukon Territory.

Northern Yukon territory: All that portion of the Yukon Territory lying north of latitude 66°

Central Yukon territory: All that portion of the Yukon Territory lying between latitude 62° and 66°

Southern Yukon territory: All that portion of the Yukon Territory lying south of latitude 62°

Open seasons table

Open seasons in the Yukon Territory

Area

Ducks

Canada Geese, Cackling Geese, White-Fronted Geese and Brant

Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese

Sandhill Cranes

Rails and coots

Snipe

Northern Yukon Territory

Aug. 15 to Oct. 31, 2018, for residents of the Yukon Territory;
Sept. 1 to Oct. 31, 2018, for non-residents of the Yukon Territory

Aug. 15 to Oct. 31, 2018, for residents of the Yukon Territory;
Sept. 1 to Oct. 31, 2018, for non-residents of the Yukon Territory

Aug. 15 to Oct. 31, 2018, for residents of the Yukon Territory a;
Sept. 1 to Oct. 31, 2018, for non-residents of the Yukon Territory a

No open season

Aug. 15 to Oct. 31, 2018, for residents of the Yukon Territory;
Sept. 1 to Oct. 31,
2018, for non-residents of the Yukon Territory

Aug. 15 to Oct. 31, 2018, for residents of the Yukon Territory;
Sept. 1 to Oct. 31, 2018, for non-residents of
the Yukon Territory

Central Yukon Territory

Aug. 15 to Oct. 31, 2018, for residents of the Yukon Territory;
Sept. 1 to Oct. 31, 2018, for non-residents of the Yukon Territory

Aug. 15 to Oct. 31, 2018, for residents of the Yukon Territory;
Sept. 1 to Oct. 31, 2018, for non-residents of
the Yukon Territory

Aug. 15 to Oct. 31, 2018, for residents of the Yukon Territory a;
Sept. 1 to Oct. 31, 2018, for non-residents of the Yukon Territory a

Aug. 15 to Oct. 31, 2018, for residents of the Yukon Territory;
Sept. 1 to Oct. 31,
2018, for non- residents of
the Yukon Territory

Aug. 15 to Oct. 31, 2018, for residents of the Yukon Territory;
Sept. 1 to Oct. 31,
2018, for non-residents of the Yukon Territory

Aug. 15 to Oct. 31, 2018, for residents of the Yukon Territory;
Sept. 1 to Oct. 31, 2018, for non-residents of
the Yukon Territory

Southern Yukon Territory

Sept. 1 to Oct. 31, 2018

Sept. 1 to Oct. 31, 2018

Sept. 1 to Oct. 31,
2018 a

Sept. 1 to Oct. 31,
2018

No open season

Sept. 1 to Oct. 31, 2018

a Recorded Snow Goose and Ross’s Goose calls may be used when hunting Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese; any species of migratory bird for which it is open season may be taken while hunting Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese with those calls.

Bag and possession limits table

Bag and possession limits in the Yukon territory

Limits

Ducks

Canada Geese, Cackling Geese, White Fronted Geese and Brant

Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese

Sandhill Cranes

Rails and coots

Snipe

Daily bag

8 b

5 c

50

2

0 d

10

Possession

24 b

15 c

No limit

4

0 d

30 e

b Except that in the Northern Yukon Territory, 17 additional ducks may be taken per day, with no possession limit.

c Except that in the Northern Yukon Territory, 10 additional geese may be taken per day, with no possession limit.

d Except that in the Central Yukon Territory and Northern Yukon Territory, 25 rails and coots may be taken per day, with no possession limit.

e Except that in the Northern Yukon Territory, there is no possession limit.

Overabundant species

The Migratory Birds Regulations also provide for special conservation harvest periods when hunters may take overabundant species. Please note that additional hunting methods or equipment are permitted during the special conservation harvest periods. See the table below for details.

Measures in the Yukon territory concerning overabundant species

Area

Period during which Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese may be killed

Additional hunting method or equipment

Throughout the Yukon Territory

May 1 to May 28, 2019

Recorded bird calls f

f “Recorded bird calls” refers to bird calls of a species referred to in the heading of column 2

Note: The 2018 federal permit is also valid for the 2019 spring special conservation harvest for Snow Geese and Ross’s Geese.

No person shall hunt earlier than one hour before sunrise or later than one hour after sunset.